


Chance

by WeirdDaydreamingFangirl



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Jaime Arrives in Winterfell, Post Season 7, fluff ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2019-05-07 18:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14676471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeirdDaydreamingFangirl/pseuds/WeirdDaydreamingFangirl
Summary: Jaime arrives North to fight for humanity's survival. He  dropped the safety and comforts of King's Landing for the noble cause and was reluctantly pardoned by the Starks and the Dragon Queen for it.So why was Brienne feeling angry?





	Chance

**Author's Note:**

> A.K.A. Brienne is being the dramatic one? XD
> 
> It sounded like a good idea while I was thinking it and spent a whole afternoon only, almost non-stop, from beginning to end, but I don't know if the emotion I wanted translated well. Oh whatever YOLO.

The first thing Jaime did when the Starks pardoned him was to ask Brienne to spar. She’d kept refusing him but he began insisting like a child and tugging at her arm good naturedly as if they’ve done it their whole life. Then he smiled; that stupid disarming smile that she might have thought of as flirting but knew better. Still, his eager grin set her heart racing and compelled her to say yes. It was said in feigned annoyance but the word still spilled from her mouth without her reasonable mind’s consent.

Damned her heart!

Jaime’s grin grew even wider and had asked her not to take it easy on the cripple. Wrong choice of words, she thought. At first, he seemed elated despite his easy and numerous defeats by her rough strikes, but the longer the match went, the more his grin slipped. If Brienne hadn’t been mad at him, she might have been saddened to see it go.

When Jaime found himself on his back for what felt like a thousandth time, he flung his practice sword on the snowy ground, then rising with his back straight as if bracing himself for a battle. Brienne refused to let go of her sword though. She knew what he was trying to do. Jaime may have not been the swordsman he once was but his tongue was still as sharp as ever. In some strange irony, her practice sword was her shield against his coming onslaught.

“Get your sword and fight!” she demanded before he could strike first.

“You’re mad at me,” he merely replied.

“You told me not to hold back.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Brienne.”

Her name, without courtesies or titles, was equivalent to a deadly strike.

“Why are you mad at me?” His voice was low but dangerous.

“I said fight!” she roared.

“As if I’m going to go against you when you seem intent to kill me,” he sneered. “Actually, if you want to kill me. Fine. Go ahead! Nobody will care. But at least do me the courtesy of telling me why.”

Blood rushed to her head in anger that she barely registered the curious crowd gathering around them.

“Have I done something to offend you, my lady?” His tone was softer now, almost as vulnerable as he had been in Harrenhal, but it was short-lived as his voice slowly rose into fury. “I left it all. I rode North. Toward danger. A one-handed greying man throwing himself to the near literal wolves who want to tear me to pieces.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t because she tried to kill you?” she snapped. It was a low blow, she knew, but that warning voice was small and unnoticed by her rage.

Jaime managed to snort despite his sour mood. “I suppose that was the last thread that snapped sense into me but I was prepared to fight beside you for once in my life. Also because _you_ asked me to _fuck loyalty_.”

“Asked you? You didn’t even try convincing your _queen_ ,” she spat back.

“I didn’t—I _did_!” Jaime barked. “I tried talking to her _despite_ knowing that she wouldn’t be convinced because of _you_!”

“Lies!” she blurted out before she could stop herself. She said it so powerfully that she suspected the force in her words were more for herself than for Jaime. It didn’t stop the devastating effect on him of course. The heartbreak was clear in his face.

Then, he laughed. It sounded so bitter and hollow.

“Is that why you were so quiet during the trial? Hard to believe Lady Sansa now that you spoke so highly of me.” His words were sharp but his eyes were shiny. “Has dour head been frozen by winter? Or you’ve truly become one with the pack that you’ve become wary of the lion who had left his pride?”

“Ser Jaime…” she tried but he cut her off.

“Kingslayer! Just call me Kingslayer like the rest of them. Never mind that I left everything that I…”

Brienne didn’t hear the rest because her tears began to fall. Suddenly, she was aware of the crowd around her and she bowed her head to hide her burning shame and guilt reddening her face and cascading down her cheeks in the form of tears. Somehow, she was able to make it to her room without a fuss. Another wave of pain hit her when she realized that the number of people who truly cared about her in this place could be counted with Jaime’s remaining fingers, some perhaps cut off. Once her door was barred, she slumped on the floor, her head against the door as the full force of her sorrow hit her.

She had hurt Ser Jaime, questioned his honor, all because… she loved him.

She loved him and it hurt worse than anything.

Brienne knew he wouldn’t disappoint her. He never had. She believed him when he said he had tried talking to Cersei but she didn’t listen. After all, he’d sent her to find Lady Sansa despite his sister’s wishes. He was willing to parley with her and take Riverrun without bloodshed despite it being somewhat against the Crown. Ser Jaime was a true knight deep down and it would never change, but his heart would always be with his sister’s. He would always run back to her. He always had. Even if Cersei went mad or will be locked up or even die, his heart would always be hers.

Brienne had lashed out at him because she was protecting herself. If by some slim chance they’d survive all this, Jaime would run back to his sister somehow.

But he was making it so much more difficult for her. Being constantly in the opposite sides of war meant that they had some semblance of distance. They were barely friends but she knew he cared for her. For the first time, they truly were in the same side and his unfamiliar friendliness toward her made her want things. Things she couldn’t have.

Then he kept insisting that she had been some force that smacked some sense into him and it sparked up something dangerous in the maiden part of her heart that she refused to acknowledge. Her fear thought anger would smolder the burning embers but fighting fire with fire only fanned the small flames into an inferno.

She could cry an ocean of tears but her love for him was wildfire. It was consuming her, scaring her.

Before another wave of tears could flow, a soft knock was heard on her door. The raps sounded like it was just above her head and assumed it was a serving boy bringing her food. It should be about dinner and her emotional state left her famished. Much as she would love to refuse food, she needed to keep her strength up. War was unpredictable and she wouldn’t allow her personal distress to fail her in the field.

She wiped her face to the best of her ability. She couldn’t do anything about the hiccups brought about by her crying but she figured the servant might have water. Once she felt somewhat presentable, she unbarred the door and opened it.

“I was expecting you to yell at me to go away.”

She recognized Jaime’s smirk and twinkling eyes but this was on a less… striking figure. Much shorter, too.

“L-lord Tyrion,” she stuttered as she gave a clumsy bow.

“May I dine with you, my lady? I have water,” he offered. Brienne should have kicked him out but her courtesies prevailed. Also because he brought a glass of water and a serving boy (her senses were half true) bringing a tray. On cue, she hiccupped and he handed her the cup. She took it gratefully as he and the serving boy went inside. The boy placed the tray on her table while Lord Tyrion pulled out one of the chairs.

“You sit first, Lady Brienne. My brother would run a sword through me if I was anything less than polite to his lady.”

Brienne scowled at that and it seemed to make the younger Lannister contrite.

“Apologies. We Lannisters never did master the art of a tact tongue—and I’m trying my best not to turn that into an inappropriate jape. Now, can we eat? I’m starving.”

Brienne was starving as well so she relented. Lord Tyrion looked relieved when she took his offered seat before climbing his. For a while, there was nothing but the sound of her silverware clanging. Despite his claims of hunger, Lord Tyrion barely touched his food but he was quite fond of his cup and kept refilling it with wine. She was thankful for another flagon for water.

“I’ve never really had the chance to talk to you, my lady,” Tyrion began. “I’ve had plenty of problems on my own, but I wanted you to know that I found your little speech at the Dragonpit brave.”

She blushed and nodded at his compliment but said nothing.

“Nobody really talked to my brother that way unless it was Father and Cersei belittling him,” Tyrion continued. “I’ve heard you and my brother were somewhat friends but I didn’t know how… close you were until the Dragonpit. You and my brother must have gone through a lot on your way to King’s Landing.”

A lot seemed like an understatement to Brienne.

“He saved me… twice. The first time, he didn’t even like me but he still stopped the Bloody Mummers from raping me. The second time… he didn’t even have to come back. He was on his way to King’s Landing, but he came back and rescued me from a bear pit. He didn’t even have his sword hand or a weapon.”

He’d already told Podrick, Lady Sansa, and Lady Arya this but the pride she felt in sharing this never lost its shine.

Lord Tyrion seemed to sense this as well because he was beaming. “Ah yes. My foolish brother likes being stupid in the name of chivalry. Have you heard of the time he charged a dragon?”

“No way. It was true?” She had heard of it from the gossips of the smallfolk in King’s Landing before the Dragonpit meeting but she wouldn’t believe it.

“Saw him myself. I was there, muttering about how much of an idiot he was,” Tyrion said it fondly. “I admire his intention but there was no way he was going to be able to kill the dragon. Still, he must have remembered Aerys while his men burned. I couldn’t blame him.”

“You knew?” _Of course he knew. Jaime loved his little brother._ It made Brienne wonder if he had told Cersei as well, but if he did, she probably didn’t remember or care enough to be using the same substance on the Sept where millions of innocents died.

“How do you think I was able to convince Queen Daenerys to spare him? Undoubtedly, you’ve also told my former wife of Jaime’s heroic tales but I needed to be sure both dragon and wolves would spare my brother.”

“He is honorable. He deserves a chance to do the right thing.”

“One of the reasons you love him, I presume.”

Brienne froze. _Both_ of Jaime’s siblings called it out to her now. She wanted to die from mortification. Much to her annoyance, Lord Tyrion had the audacity to chuckle.

“My brother is right. You are too easy to read. But fret not, it’s not a bad thing. Love isn’t a bad thing.”

“It is when you keep loving people who don’t love you back,” she muttered. She wasn’t going to go in detail about Renly anymore.

“I won’t lie to you. Jaime was truly hurt when Cersei had wanted him dead. He told me as much when we spoke while he was still in the dungeons here, but you had no idea how happy he’d been when he saw you again. Even when he faced the Dragon and the Wolves pretty much alone, he smiled.”

“I thought it was a Lannister trait to smile at your enemies.”

At that, Tyrion laughed. “Oh you know us too well, my lady, but this time, that smile on his face wasn’t there until he saw you at the hall. He kept glancing at you throughout the trial, too.”

Brienne noticed that as well but she didn’t think much of it—didn’t _want_ to think much of it.

“And how his smile grew when the verdict came out and was proclaimed innocent. I almost wanted to peg that good mood as relief at his life not being at the mercy of Drogon but when the idiot went to seek you first—which hurt by the way because I’m his favorite—my theory was growing solid. What strengthened it however was your talk in the yard.”

Brienne quickly averted her gaze. Shame burned through her body.

“How is Ser Jaime?” she whispered.

“Devastated,” Tyrion said. Brienne forced herself to look up if he was making a jape of some kind but his face was serious. “He fled after you did. Hopefully, Bronn is with him as we speak since he followed him.”

“I shouldn’t have said those to him.”

“The gods are probably cursing him for his wicked tongue. He undoubtedly said terrible things to you.”

He had, but it was a time long ago during a time where he was like any other man who mocked her looks. It stung but between his barbs about something she couldn’t change and her questioning his honor? It was no contest which sounded more heart crushing.

Tyrion sighed. “Look, Lady Brienne. I get it. I know you’re like a castle compared to me but surely you’ve seen what I look like. I had a wife before Sansa.” That surprised Brienne. “It was the first time someone looked past my looks but then father…” For a moment, his eyes blazed in fury. “…he whispered to my doubts, told me she lied about her identity to get Lannister gold. I would spare you the grisly details but basically, father had my marriage annulled and I never saw her again. Later, Jaime told me that father made up the story. I wanted to be mad at Jaime. I was for a while, but I figured this was the end of the world and this was no time for grudges.”

“I’m sorry, Lord Tyrion.”

“Point is, don’t let doubt and fear cripple you. I understand that the world we live in is a deadly game of cyvasse but sometimes we have to take risks. My brother has been stupid for so long. Funny enough, the second time I fell in love would have served as a lesson for him but I think he has learned now. The woman he now loves isn’t someone who is a monster under a mask of a pretty face or a viper with sweet words dripping with poison.”

“You still can’t be certain he loves me.”

“My lady, everyone in that Dragonpit heard you demanding Jaime to talk to the queen. We all heard his reply as well. But when I came to speak with Cersei, he told me that he still _tried_ talking to her until she kicked him out. My brother was never known to even pursue a lost cause unless it’s for love. And if you’re still having doubts, you have done the one thing nobody has ever done, end his relationship with Cersei.”

“He was just being reasonable,” she argued.

“And you were the reason he was being reasonable. My brother is smarter than he looks and is, as you said, an honorable person, but he is blind when it involved Cersei. You made him saw reason. You made him see beyond that fucked up relationship. You nudged him to the right direction. Not even the great Tywin Lannister, who could be quite persuasive, managed that.”

Brienne couldn’t say anything. It was a lot to take in. Lord Tyrion drank happily from his cup and refilled it as she contemplated everything. Still, Brienne could feel the doubt gnawing at her again. _Jaime would never… He couldn’t possibly…_

Then, a rhythmic knock was heard on the door.

“That’s my cue to leave,” Lord Tyrion said and hopped off his chair. He headed toward the door and Brienne quickly followed him to help him open it but he waved her away so she stood before him rather awkwardly seeing their heights. “I don’t ask you to marry my brother here and now, though I would love it if you gave me something to spite Cersei with before it would be difficult for the ravens to send scrolls, but I do wish you two would talk it out. As you said, he is honorable and deserves a chance to do the right thing. Loving you sounds like the right thing.” Brienne nodded. He also deserved an apology. “I just… I want my brother truly happy. He hadn’t been for a long time.”

Before she could ask what he meant, a muffled voice from the other side of the door froze her.

“Has Winter frozen the servants in this castle, Bronn?”

“So cranky. Don’t worry. I’ll find you someone blonde to warm your bed soon enough, m’lord.”

Brienne looked alarmingly at Tyrion who just smirked mischievously at her in turn. He reminded her of Jaime so much like that.

“I hope to speak to you more often, future good sister.” Lord Tyrion teased before opening the door, revealing two men standing in front of the door.

“Fucking finally!” Bronn exclaimed.

“You told me this was my room!” Jaime protested but his eyes were wide and wary and not looking at Bronn. His gaze was stuck on Brienne.

“Never trust a sellsword, m’lord,” Bronn said as he pushed Jaime inside, knocking into Brienne. Quickly, the bastard closed the door. “At least I wasn’t lying about the blonde warming your bed!” Bronn added with a guffaw before two sets of footsteps went away.

It took them a heartbeat or two to realize that they’re chest to chest and scrambled for distance. The next heartbeat or two was silence. Brienne wondered why he hadn’t left. She wouldn’t be surprised if he did even if she didn’t want him to. She had been looking down the whole time so she chanced a glance at him.

Jaime still looked hurt but he didn’t look like he had any intention to leave. He seemed to be waiting for something.

“I’m sorry,” she began but she couldn’t get past that because tears started to fall once more and she could barely get words out but she wanted to tell him that he was good and honorable and she would trust him with her life that nothing has changed about how she viewed him except that she’d grown to admire him more.

Suddenly, a warm body encased her and she buried her face into his shoulder. She didn’t feel like she deserved his comfort but she welcomed it anyway. She craved for it.

“Just tell me why you’re so upset with me. I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?” he whispered into her ear.

And she shook her head without removing her face from his shoulder. “I’m so proud of you, Jaime.”

He seemed to freeze and Brienne was worried that he might have thought she was a liar so she forced herself to look at him.

Instead, she found him beaming.

“You called me Jaime,” he merely said.

His grin was infectious that she basked in it. She even made a jape. “It’s your name, isn’t it?”

“Such wit! You’ve been around Lannisters too long, my lady,” he replied with a grin but then his smile faltered a bit. “What was your brother doing in my room?”

“Telling me that you’re an idiot,” she teased but Jaime seemed to take it the wrong way because he loosened his hold on her. But her arms traveled to his shoulders to squeeze it reassuringly. “But he says that you’re smarter than you credit yourself for. I do, too.”

His good mood returned and his smile was brighter than ever. Perhaps Jaime should just smile at the White Walkers. His smile made Brienne’s knees melt.

“I see he brought a lot of food, too, and I’m famished.” Jaime let her go and she missed the warmth of his embrace already. It must have shown on her face, too, because there was a knowing glint in his eyes. “We can eat while you can tell me all about how my brother thinks I’m an idiot.”

It was a joke but Jaime’s expression was pleading and hopeful. That one look was all it took for Brienne to allow her to slowly raise the portcullis and allow her heart to be bare. It wasn’t because it was the end of the world, but because they both needed it.

**Author's Note:**

> Jaime is honorable and deserves the chance to do the right thing. ;D *badumtss*


End file.
